


Hey, Neighbor

by fandomdump97



Category: South Park
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Mild Angst, a short piece to practice writing again
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-11
Updated: 2018-12-11
Packaged: 2019-09-16 03:13:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16945896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomdump97/pseuds/fandomdump97
Summary: Kenny's parents rent out their garage all the time, so when a new tenant comes around, he doesn't pay attention. Little changes caused by this new-comer eventually get to him. He faces the problem, only to make it worse before it gets better.





	Hey, Neighbor

Kenny’s parents were notorious for renting out their garage to those who needed a base of operations with no real address. He assumed either the dealers that his parents got their copious amounts of meth from contacted them directly, or maybe there was a craigslist ad out for it. He never paid much attention to it, always being told to keep his mouth shut about the strange smells and sounds that would come from the extra space. 

By middle school, the garage was being rented out to someone new every few months. And by high school, a group of people worked from the garage, creating a semi-steady income for his family. Not that it was used properly at all, but at least they had a toaster to heat their waffles and pop-tarts in the months they were able to pay the electric bill. 

In any case, Kenny was no stranger to broken trucks and U-hauls that would come by the garage in the morning and leave in the evening, creating a new vacant lot in the town of South Park. Their garage remained empty after that, and he was glad for the quiet mornings and the freedom to walk in his backyard without being thought of as a peep in the illegal on-goings. 

Of course it only lasted so long, a fresh U-haul outside the garage on a summer morning. But Kenny had no time to wait and see the new renter, high school now over, and his first summer in a full-time job starting in thirty minutes. Even if he had time, Kenny had learned quickly the best way to keep quiet was to never notice. 

Weeks passed in silence. Kenny spent his days working, having picked up a second job at the diner. The tips were good and he had quickly set up a bank account where his parents couldn’t touch the money. But slowly, it became hard to ignore the on-goings of the garage. 

 

It first started one late evening where there was a terrible crash that interrupted dinner, albeit lackluster. Kevin had volunteered to check what made the noise and returned with a shrug saying a light fixture fell. It wasn’t the most comforting explanation, but this house was always falling apart. The garage being no exception. 

It was shortly after the crash, like an alarm to the neighbor’s presence, that Kenny started noticing more. Lights were on when Kenny came home from work, too late for anyone to be awake. In the mornings, before he left for work, he could hear the garage door open and close as the neighbor left even earlier than him. On one night when he’d have the next morning off, slipping into the backyard for a smoke, he noticed how the scraps of metal and wood and the piles of broken glass and ash all were cleaned up. On one afternoon when he had the night off, when the daylight shone over the home, he noticed the garage windows repaired and the doors with locks. 

The garage was not the only thing with repairs, though. He made it halfway to his room one night before realizing the front door sealing shut, the hinges replaced. One day, later in the summer, he saw into Karen’s room to see her broken window replaced and opened for fresh air. Holes in walls became plastered over, and the fence was fixed. Even the cockroaches slowly became a rarity. Soon enough Kenny’s room became a relic of how his house used to look, window still broken and the walls looking like they would collapse down on him at any point. 

Of all emotions that passed Kenny’s thoughts- confusion, appreciation, concern- he felt mostly irritation. Irritation that everything was better for his family than for him, the one work two jobs. Irritation he couldn’t do these things for his family but some stranger had made their way into his home on more than one occasion. Irritation that his days off were spent re-learning the color of the walls, and recounting the tiles in the kitchen, because everything was changing. Irritation that everyone simply had one answer for every little change. 

“Oh, yeah. Jackson did it. Isn’t that nice?”

Irritation wasn’t the most flattering emotion, and he knew that. His friends that saw him near the tail end of summer all heard of Jackson, the one who made their way into his house and is changing everything. Stan and Kyle were no help, suggesting maybe it was for the best. Cartman was even worse, but what did Kenny expect. 

A few weeks later, all his friends had gone to college, leaving him and a few others alone in South Park. Alone in his thoughts, alone to stew as the business of the diner slowed and less cars passed the gas station. The irritation grew when the truck, once fallen apart in the backyard, was parked in front of the house, his brother in the driver seat.

“Let me guess,” Kenny leaned against driver’s side as the car’s engine, for the first time in years, came to life. “Jackson?”

“Magic, I tell ya’.” Kevin patted the top of the steering wheel with all the endearment one would put to a pet. “Now we can get our driver’s licenses.”

“And how long ‘til dad crashes it, you think?” Kenny’s words have bite, and he regrets it immediately. Before Kevin can respond, Kenny pats him on the shoulder. “Sorry. You should take her out for a spin. Let me know how she runs.” With another solid pat, Kenny heads inside and up to his room. 

He lies there for some time, scrolling through the phone he managed to afford. It was late in the evening when there was a knock at his door.

“Come in.” Kenny didn’t bother sitting up, simply locking his phone and laying it on his chest. 

“Hey, Kenny. Mom and dad aren’t home tonight so I’m going to make dinner. Do you want some spaghetti?” Karen seemed giddy about the idea of making the food, but Kenny couldn’t get his mind past the last word?

“Spaghetti?”

“Yeah, like with sauce and meatballs.” 

Kenny could feel his stomach growl at the thought. He had been working so much he took the majority of his meals at work. Something homemade was rare even at home. 

“Sure, I’d love some.” Kenny sat up. “Where’d you learn to cook?” It wasn’t like there’s much ingredients for experiments.

“Oh, Jackson showed me how to make it. From scratch too!” Karen practically beamed. 

Kenny felt his stomach drop, his irritation finally taking root and jealousy manifesting itself. “Oh, really?” He got up and started following Karen to the kitchen, forcing a smile for his baby sister.

“Yeah! I’m gonna learn to cook all sorts of things.” 

Kenny wanted to feel happy, but the dumb amount of jealousy in him had gotten too much. “Well, you make dinner, Karen. I’m gonna go thank the neighbor.”

He left quickly before his face could betray himself. Out the back door of his house and to the side door of the garage, he could see the lights in the garage still on, and the sound of music muffled as much as it could be. He didn’t even think through what he was going to say or why he had stormed the fifteen feet over before his knuckles knocked loudly on the door. 

“It’s unlocked!” 

It was an odd way of yelling that Kenny hadn’t heard before. Something gently and soft like he was being spoken to directly, but with the projection that he could them through thin walls and music. The jolliness behind it made him feel instantly guilty with the intensity he had walked over with. 

Did they deserve his jealousy and irritation? 

Maybe Kyle and Stan were right?

Kenny felt his hand hover over the door handle, debating between going in still or turning and acting like he had never tried. The decision was made for him when the door swung open and there stood Jackson. 

All five and a half feet of Jackson. Jackson with the darkest brown hair tied up, strands spilling over in the front. Jackson with green eyes that shined just as playfully as the smile on her tips. Jackson, in a tank top and baggy sweats, glasses hanging low on the nose. Jackson who looked up the extra five inches at Kenny with uncertain curiosity.

“Sorry, did I not holler loud enough?” She leaned against the frame of the door, wiping her hands of whatever she had been doing prior. 

“Jackson?” Kenny felt himself regretting not walking away.

“Like the five?” She gave a soft chuckle at her own joke. “That’s me. Are you the other McCormick kid? Kenneth?”

The more she talked the more he could hear the soft southern drawl in her voice, a joyful lift to each word that was so unlike all the redneck country versions he’s heard before. “O-oh,” he caught himself staring at her smirk, but she didn’t seem to mind. “Yeah, that’s me.” He offered his hand to her. “I’m Kenny. Nice to meet you.”

“Pleasure’s all mine.” She took his hand happily, a firm shake between them. “What can I do for ya Kenny?”

“I-I-,” Kenny hated himself. He couldn’t just come in now with the complaints that clearly would sound like ungrateful complaining. He realized it now, all too late in front of her. “I don’t know.”

Jackson laughed softly, moving out of the way of the door. “Why don’t you come in for a moment, Kenneth? Get your bearings?”

“Thanks.” He cleared his throat and made his way in, already having dug his grave this deep. “You’ve lived here a while now, huh?”

And he could tell. If he thought the changes to his own house were large, he could have never expected what would happen to the garage. She had turned it into a studio apartment he would see somewhere like an IKEA magazine. At the far end of the garage, nearer to large garage door was a clear work-space of a desk covered in papers and a laptop. Opposite of it was a wardrobe and a dresser. The bed was on the opposite side of the side door he walked in through, a full mattress with a large pile of spread pillows and a stack of folded blankets. Once through the threshold he could smell what had Jackson preoccupied - an array of pots and bowls, a hot plate going with something that was simmering, over a re-purposed desk. There were plastic drawers underneath the desk, holding all the dishes, and a mini fridge to the side with a microwave atop. Beside that was a large five gallon water jug and dispenser.

Kenny found himself standing on the large rug in the middle of the garage, spinning and taking in the fairy lights spun across the ceiling, the record player on the nightstand, and the walkway space up on the platform given a small chair and folding table. Everything was different, re-purposed and not quite matching, but was all so very in character. 

“Ya know,” Jackson chirped, pulling him from his moment, “every single of you McCormicks had the same expression comin’ in here.” She clearly meant nothing bad by it, smiling as she turned back to her cooking. 

“I don’t even recognize it.” The last time Kenny had stepped foot in his garage was shortly after a group of meth cookers were run out. And that was back in elementary school.

“It was some work, but she’s got character now.” Jackson began taking her things off the burner. “You gonna want some food, Kenneth? I’m more than happy to share.”

“Oh, no, thank you.” Kenny felt something brush his legs and he looked down to see one of the stray cats, an orange tabby, he had seen for the past few years lovingly rub itself between his ankles. “Karen is making spaghetti. She told me you taught her.”

“That I did. But she’s a natural cook. Didn’t take much teaching.” 

“And you fixed the car?” 

“Yeah, your ma said I could make it a side project. Something to help apply the things I learn in class.” She didn’t bother turning around as she spoke, juggling dishes and setting a new pot of water on the sink. 

“And the front door? The backyard?” Kenny found the words coming out harsher than he expected. He was suddenly aware that his arms were crossed and body stiff. “Were those side projects?”

Jackson’s actions paused, a moment of silence passing through the garage before she set the bowls down, turned around and clasped her hands in front of her. Her body language was less closed off, but it was clear that she sensed the tension and was ready to address it. “Is there a problem, Kenneth?”

“A problem? No, I-,” Kenny paused, scratched his head and sighed. “Yeah, actually. You interacting with my sister, doing these ‘side projects’ for my family. We’re not some charity case.” 

The words echoed clearly, the disgusting jealousy in him now out in the open. The pride he had held every moment growing up, unraveling because of this one person.

“Well,” Jackson stood straight, jaw set and eyes steady. “I’m sorry you feel that way. I never once thought you McCormick’s were a charity case.” 

The tension was thick, their eyes locked but neither wanted to speak. Jackson bit her lip, and looked away. If it were any other situation he would have thought it disgustingly attractive, and even in the current situation it made his heart ache a little. Right now was the first time since he walked in that she wasn’t smiling. 

“I, uh,” she waved at her food, “I have to eat dinner so I can get back to my homework.”

“Y-yeah, I’ll show myself out.” Kenny was guilty, but the irritation was still there and he couldn’t reconcile the two before the door closed shut behind him.

 

* * *

 

She was quiet from then on. When the back door broke, it remained that way. When Kevin’s friend broke the kitchen window, it remained that way. When the car, inevitably, broke down, it remained that way. 

It was another couple months before Karen came knocking on his door. Kenny opened it up to the rare sight of her, angry and fuming.

“What did you say?” Her arms were crossed, hip jutted out. Suddenly the goth attire she wore was fitting, and he wasn’t sure if he liked the look on her anymore.

“What do you mean?” Kenny had woken from a nap no more than a fifteen minutes ago, vision and voice still groggy.

“To Jackson. What did you say?” Karen watched Kenny’s face change, not waiting for a reply. “She told me she’d show me how to cook, and now she’s never home and tells me she’s busy all the time.”

“Maybe she’s just busy. Look, Karen,” Kenny tried to make an excuse, but he never could lie to Karen. He gave a defeated shrug. He could even see how her eyebrow raised as she wasn’t taking any of the bait. She knew he was a glutton for fuck-ups. “I told her I didn’t like how she treated us like a charity case.”

“A charity case?” Karen rubbed a temple, fighting all forces to face-palm. “Kenny, you have a stupid amount of pride.”

“Thanks?” Kenny could feel his small joke fall flatter than a sheet of paper. 

“I asked her to fix the door, and the windows and the walls. I got rid of the roaches because she showed me how. Because I asked her to. She showed me how to cook, because I asked her to. The car got fixed so you and Kevin could get to work safer, because I asked her to. Never once did she make me feel like a bother, and never once did she do something out of pity.” 

Kenny was trying to process everything being said, every ounce of irritation and jealousy becoming a sick pit of guilt that now filled him up to his throat. He could choke on it if he inhaled too sharply. “But, we don’t need some outside help to do those things. I’m working now and Kevin is getting money. We can do those things on our own.”

“Kenny, I appreciate everything you do for us. For me.” She took his hands in hers, looking at him earnestly. “But I haven’t learned to do anything besides basic math problems and how to get dad from the couch to his bed. Jackson was teaching me the things mom and dad wouldn’t. What they couldn’t.”

“And I took that away from you.” The guilt spilled out, tasting like bile on his tongue. Anymore and he may have really vomited. For Kenny, it was one thing to make an awkward neighbor situation. It was another for him to hurt his sister in any way.

“Yeah, Ken. You did.” Karen didn’t wait for a reply, talking about it clearly working her up enough that she went into her room. The soft click of the door was like the gun at the beginning of the race, sending him straight for the garage side door. He knocked and waited for an answer, but no one was home. 

 

* * *

  
  
Karen was right about Jackson avoiding them. She had always left early in the morning before Kenny could make it out the door. At this point he assumed she took the bike that was parked on the other side of the garage, no car lights ever signaling a departure or arrival. If he noticed the light on in the garage, he’d give knocking a try. Sometimes he’d be met with a, “sorry, i’m busy,” and other times he’d be met with no response. 

The rent check was always given on time, slipped under the front door. The music of her record player went on late in the night, slow and melancholy music that left Kenny helplessly staring at his ceiling. He did this. Let his pride get the best of it all. And now Jackson was no longer a neighbor, just a ghost next door. 

He had almost given it up until one day when he had gotten out of work earlier than normal, and had made more tips than normal. He knew Pete and Firkle were over at their house to hang out with Karen, and he also knew there was no coffee in the house. Despite how disgusting he saw the habit of constantly drinking coffee was, as long as Karen didn’t smoke like the goths, he’d compromise. He sent a text to Karen asking if she wanted him to pick coffee up on the way home, and when he got the affirmative he made the twenty minute walk from the diner to the Tweak coffee shop. 

The shop was as averagely busy as it always was, regular customers from when he was in elementary school replaced with new regulars with younger faces and more days to waste. With no line, he made his way to the counter, gaining the attention of the barista behind the counter. 

“How can I help you today?” In a moment they recognized each other’s faces, Jackson’s customer service smile faltering for only a moment. 

“Three coffees, black.” Kenny sounded like a robot, mind in a haze. Everything he had ready to say, every apology he was going to make and rehearsed, faded away when she was in front of him. 

“That’ll be six dollars.” 

Kenny wordlessly passed the cash in his pocket over and moved over to where the drinks would be served. When she came over to place the to-go mugs down, she avoided all eye-contact. “Would you want a drink-carrier?”

“Yes.” She reached under the drink-carrier, grabbing the folded cardboard piece. “Can, can I speak to you?” His voice was soft, embarrassment of the whole situation sinking in.

“I’m at work.” She put the three mugs into carrier.

“What about after work?”

“I have to do laundry.”

“What about tomorrow?”

“I have class Mondays.”

“Tomorrow’s Sunday.”

“Then I have homework.”

“I’ll only need five minutes.”

Jackson looked away, nervousness building up. She didn’t know how long she could avoid talking to him. She was mostly worried it was only going to get worse. “I’ll be home in two hours. I can spare five minutes before I go to the laundromat.”

“Thank you!” Kenny flinched at his volume, shyly smiling and grabbing the carrier. “Thanks.”

Jackson only gave an uneasy smile before carrying on with her job. Kenny definitely didn't solve anything yet, but it was a start and that sent him trailing happily home. 

Two hours came and went, filling him with enough anxiety that he settled in the backyard for a smoke. Even longer passed before the crunching of the frosted grass alerted him to the figure that walked up and sat beside him on the concrete stairs. If he thought his anxiety was bad before, the fear of messing this up worse and making Karen angrier at him made it skyrocket.

“Hey.” Jackson sounded small compared to when they first spoke. He could see she was tired, and in the way she only looked ahead, she was just as nervous.

“Hey.” Kenny said with an exhale of smoke. He offered the cigarette, however little, to Jackson who took it and the majority of the remainder with a long drag. Giving it back to Kenny, he put it out beside his shoe, making a mental note to properly throw it away when he got up. “So, about what I said to you.”

“I’m sorry.” Jackson blurted out. The realization of her blunder settled and she wouldn’t meet his eyes, resting her arms and chin on her knees. 

Kenny looked over her, seeing the signature Tweak Coffee polo and apron still on, but her hair let down and spilling over her shoulders. Even after the exhale of smoke, her breath left little clouds with the cool night air. The soft curve of her lips was such a difference from the angles of her cheekbones and nose, he almost wanted to reach out and touch her. 

“No, no, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.” 

“But I’m glad you did. If I ever stepped over my boundaries-,” her grip around her knees tightened, and she froze altogether when Kenny’s hand laid gently on her shoulder, interrupting her thoughts.

“You didn’t. I was just stupid, and,” Kenny gave a sigh at the words caught in his throat, “I was jealous.”

“Why?” Kenny hated the look she gave him. Someone who came into his home and made such a profound impact on his family and their well-being, and she looked like she didn’t even deserve a moment of praise. 

“I work two jobs because my parents can’t hold even one between them. And even with the income and the savings and being able to pay minimum bills, you came here and you changed more than I ever could.” Kenny fiddled with his fingers as the words spilled out, feeling more and more stupid as he went on. “You made home feel like a home, and I guess because I couldn’t do that and I’ve been here for eighteen years, I got jealous.”

Jackson was silent for some time, looking nowhere else but Kenny. “You know, you’re sister never shuts up about you?”

“What?”  
“Everything I helped her with, she did it for you. Even your brother made a couple comments here and there about the car and you getting to work.” She sat up straighter, turning to face Kenny. “I guess what I’m trying to say is I didn’t do anything but give some pointers and manual labor. You’re the one that has inspired them to work for their home.”

Kenny could feel the heat in his face and the blush on his cheeks. Maybe it was the way she said it, maybe it was what was said. His heart swelled with what she said regardless.

“Thanks.” Kenny fidgeted for a moment before pulling out another cigarette. He offered one to Jackson but she waved it off.

“You’ve already expended your five minutes, McCormick.” It was the curl of her lips and the light in her words that gave the same gut punch he had when he first spoke to her. Clearly the southern hospitality was her default. It was a good look on her. “I got laundry to do.” She stood up, brushing the gravel from the back of her pants.

“You’re going to the laundromat this late?” Kenny looked up suddenly disappointed that she was leaving.

“I don’t have a choice really.” She fished her keys out of her pocket and started backing up the few feet to the side door.

“What about tomorrow?” Kenny realized how desperate he sounded, but the cigarette burned, completely ignored between his fingers as he stood and leaned against his house. 

Despite it only being moments ago, now that the situation was resolved, he couldn’t help the unmistakable draw he had to her. She was lovely, smart, kind, and sweet, and Kenny was never one to miss up on an opportunity of going on with someone who fit more than two criteria. 

She gave a soft smile. “You don’t really have a car to offer anymore, Kenneth.” Turning she opened the door, flicking on the lights inside.

“I’ll help you carry it.” He watched her turn around again, now silhouetted by the numerous lights. “I’ll wake up just as early as you do and help you. Let me make up my stupidness.” He could see her thinking it over, the light blush on her cheeks from his plea. Perhaps she could tell that he was pushing for another reason as well.

“Fine.” Kenny could feel himself sigh in relief. If he were younger he would’ve been shouting in joy. “I got things to do tomorrow, though, so we’re leaving 6.” 

Kenny nodded. He gave a little wave that Jackson returned before she closed the door to the garage. His first reaction, alone in the backyard, was to give a soft and happy laugh.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Hey, if you read this, thank you! I haven't used AO3 to post fics before (It's also been forever since I've written regularly), so please give feedback if you can!


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